U.S. patent number 8,157,631 [Application Number 11/830,153] was granted by the patent office on 2012-04-17 for gaming system with blackjack primary game and poker secondary game.
This patent grant is currently assigned to IGT. Invention is credited to Steven R. Kastner, Eric W. Lancaster.
United States Patent |
8,157,631 |
Lancaster , et al. |
April 17, 2012 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
Gaming system with blackjack primary game and poker secondary
game
Abstract
A gaming device having a primary game and a secondary game is
provided. The gaming device includes a primary game, such as
blackjack or 21 operable on a wager by a player, and an optional
secondary game that is operable on a secondary game wager by a
player. After placing a secondary game wager and satisfying certain
criteria in the primary game, one or more players are provided with
a secondary game card to be used in the secondary game. The
secondary game is resolved after a player has accumulated a
plurality of secondary game cards over the course of several
sequentially played rounds of the primary game.
Inventors: |
Lancaster; Eric W. (Las Vegas,
NV), Kastner; Steven R. (Las Vegas, NV) |
Assignee: |
IGT (Reno, NV)
|
Family
ID: |
36588596 |
Appl.
No.: |
11/830,153 |
Filed: |
July 30, 2007 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20080070674 A1 |
Mar 20, 2008 |
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Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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11303552 |
Dec 15, 2005 |
|
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60637211 |
Dec 17, 2004 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
463/13 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07F
17/32 (20130101); G07F 17/3293 (20130101); G07F
17/3267 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A63F
13/00 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;463/12-22,29,42,43 |
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|
Primary Examiner: Lewis; David L
Assistant Examiner: Thomas; Eric M
Attorney, Agent or Firm: K&L Gates LLP
Parent Case Text
PRIORITY CLAIM
This application is continuation application of, claims priority to
and the benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/303,552,
filed Dec. 15, 2005, which is a non-provisional application of,
claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent
Application Ser. No. 60/637,211, filed on Dec. 17, 2004, the entire
contents of which are incorporated herein.
Claims
The invention claimed is:
1. A gaming system comprising: a table; at least one display
device; at least one processor; at least one memory device; and an
electronic tracking system configured to operate with the at least
one display device, the at least one processor, and the at least
one memory device to: (a) for a play of a primary Blackjack game
including physical cards dealt at the table and including a primary
wager placed on the play of the primary Blackjack game and a side
wager placed for a play of a secondary Poker game, designate each
of at least one physical card dealt in the play of the primary
Blackjack game as a secondary Poker game card, and store in the at
least one memory device information related to each said designated
secondary Poker game card for said play of the secondary Poker
game, (b) retrieve from said at least one memory device the
information related to each said designated secondary Poker game
card for said play of the secondary Poker game, (c) cause the at
least one display device to display said retrieved secondary Poker
game cards separately from each of the physical cards dealt at the
table in the play of the primary Blackjack game, (d) use the stored
information related to the displayed retrieved secondary Poker game
cards in a subsequent evaluation of said secondary Poker game cards
for said play of the secondary Poker game, and (e) for said
subsequent evaluation of the play of the secondary Poker game,
cause the at least one display device to display any secondary
Poker game awards associated with the displayed retrieved secondary
Poker game cards.
2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the
secondary Poker game awards is a progressive jackpot.
3. The gaming system of claim 2, wherein the progressive jackpot is
funded, at least in part, from a portion of each side wager.
4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the electronic tracking
system is configured to operate with the at least one display
device, the at least one processor, and the at least one memory
device to designate each of a plurality of cards dealt in the play
of the primary Blackjack game as secondary Poker game cards, and
store in the at least one memory device information related to each
said secondary Poker game card.
5. The gaming system of claim 4, wherein a maximum number of cards
dealt in the play of primary Blackjack game that can be designated
as secondary Poker game cards is five.
6. The gaming system of claim 4, wherein each of the first five
cards dealt to a player in the play of primary Blackjack game are
designated as secondary Poker game cards.
7. The gaming system of claim 6, wherein if less than five cards
are dealt to the player in the play of the primary Blackjack game,
the electronic tracking system is configured to operate with the at
least one display device, the at least one processor, and the at
least one memory device to designate additional secondary Poker
game cards such that the total number of designated secondary Poker
game cards is five.
8. The gaming system of claim 7, wherein the additional secondary
Poker game cards are randomly selected from a virtual deck of
fifty-two cards.
9. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the evaluation of the
secondary Poker game is performed after a designated number of
secondary Poker game cards have been accumulated over a series of
plays of the primary Blackjack game.
10. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the at least one
processor is configured to operate with the at least one display
device and the at least one memory device to simultaneously display
each of the secondary Poker game cards that have been accumulated
over a series of plays of the primary Blackjack game.
11. The gaming system of claim 1, including at least one input
device configured to operate with the at least one processor and
the at least one memory device to enable a player to designate one
card in each play of the primary Blackjack game as a secondary
Poker game card, and to store information related to the player
designated secondary Poker game in the at least one memory
device.
12. The gaming system of claim 11, wherein a maximum number of
player designated secondary Poker game cards can be accumulated
over a series of plays of the primary Blackjack game.
13. The gaming system of claim 12, wherein the secondary Poker game
includes at least one opportunity for the player to exchange at
least one of the previously designated secondary Poker game cards
for a different one of the primary Blackjack game cards.
14. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the subsequent evaluation
of the secondary Poker game occurs after at least one additional
play of the primary Blackjack game has been completed.
15. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:
(a) for a play of a primary Blackjack game including physical cards
dealt at a table and including a primary wager placed on the play
of a primary Blackjack game and a side wager placed for a play of a
secondary Poker game, designating each of at least one physical
card dealt in the play of the primary Blackjack game as a secondary
Poker game card, and storing in at least one memory device
information related to each said designated secondary Poker game
card for said play of the secondary Poker game, (b) retrieving from
the at least one memory device the information related to each said
designated secondary Poker game card for said play of the secondary
Poker game, (c) causing at least one display device to display said
retrieved secondary Poker game cards separately from each of the
physical cards dealt at the table in the play of the primary
Blackjack game, (d) using the stored information related to the
displayed retrieved secondary Poker game cards in a subsequent
evaluation of said play of the secondary Poker game, and (e) for
said subsequent evaluation of a secondary Poker game, causing the
at least one display device to display any secondary Poker game
awards associated with the displayed retrieved secondary Poker game
cards.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein at least one of the secondary
Poker game awards is a progressive jackpot.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the progressive jackpot is
funded, at least in part, from a portion of each side wager.
18. The method of claim 15, including designating each of a
plurality of cards dealt in the play of the primary Blackjack game
as secondary Poker game cards, and storing in at least one memory
device information related to each said secondary Poker game
card.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein a maximum number of cards dealt
in the play of the primary Blackjack game that can be designated as
secondary Poker game cards is five.
20. The method of claim 18, including designating each of the first
five cards dealt to a player in the play of the primary Blackjack
game as secondary Poker game cards.
21. The method of claim 20, including, if less than five cards are
dealt to the player in the play of the primary Blackjack game,
designating additional secondary Poker game cards such that the
total number of designated secondary Poker game cards is five.
22. The method of claim 21, including randomly selecting the
additional secondary Poker game cards from a virtual deck of
fifty-two cards.
23. The method of claim 15, wherein the evaluation of the secondary
Poker game is performed after a designated number of secondary
Poker game cards have been accumulated over a series of plays of
the primary Blackjack game.
24. The method of claim 15, including simultaneously displaying
secondary Poker game cards that have been accumulated over a series
of plays of the primary Blackjack game.
25. The method of claim 15, including enabling a player to
designate one card in each play of the primary Blackjack game as a
secondary Poker game card, and storing information related to the
player designated secondary Poker game in the at least one memory
device.
26. The method of claim 25, wherein a maximum number of player
designated secondary Poker game cards can be accumulated over a
series of plays of the primary Blackjack game.
27. The gaming system of claim 26, wherein the secondary Poker game
includes at least one opportunity for the player to exchange at
least one of the previously designated secondary Poker game cards
for a different one of the primary Blackjack game cards.
28. The gaming system of claim 15, wherein the subsequent
evaluation of the secondary Poker game occurs after at least one
additional play of the primary Blackjack game has been
completed.
29. The method of claim 15, which is operated through a data
network.
30. The method of claim 29, wherein the data network is an
internet.
Description
BACKGROUND
Blackjack and poker are two very well known and popular card games.
Gaming establishments are always introducing variations to slot
machines and table games to increase player excitement and
enjoyment. One method of increasing player excitement is to include
additional wagering opportunities, bonus games or payout schemes.
However, bonus games have not been developed for table games such
as Blackjack and poker, where the bonus or secondary game is a
persistence game played over a series of plays of the primary game.
Therefore, there is a need to create new and exciting games that
combine aspects of both poker and blackjack as well as include a
bonus game that is played overall several plays of the base game.
This provides added excitement to the player by having additional
opportunities to win awards. Moreover, in multiplayer table games
the player often has idle time while waiting for other players at
the table to make decisions. This type of secondary game gives the
player an enjoyable diversion that occupies idle time between
plays.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One embodiment of the present invention relates to a gaming device
having a secondary game that is based on a series of plays of the
primary game. The primary game is operable or initiated upon a
wager by a player. The secondary game is operable or initiated upon
a separate additional wager by a player. The secondary game is
optional to each player and the separate additional wager on the
secondary game is thus optional to each player. In one embodiment,
in each play of the primary game where a player has placed a wager
on the secondary game, the player may receive a secondary game
element if a predetermined criteria or a triggering event occurs in
or results from the play of the primary game.
In one embodiment, the secondary game element is a component (such
as a symbol or card) from the play of the primary game. The gaming
device stores in a memory device the secondary game element from or
in association with the primary game, displays the secondary game
element(s) to the player and enables the player to accumulate
further secondary elements over several plays of the primary game.
After one or more players accumulate a designated or predetermined
number of secondary elements over the course of several plays of
the primary game, the gaming device evaluates the secondary game
elements against a set of rules or paytable and provides the player
or players with any secondary award occurring in the secondary game
at least partially based on those accumulated secondary game
elements. This enables each player to participate in two different
games simultaneously, thereby enhancing the gaming experience.
Furthermore, this gives the player, who has accumulated at least
some secondary game elements, added incentive to place additional
wagers in the primary game to complete the secondary game.
In one embodiment, the primary game is played at a live gaming
table with a human dealer. The gaming table can accommodate one
player, but preferably can accommodate a plurality of players. The
primary game may be blackjack, poker (including any of the numerous
poker games), pai gow, roulette, baccarat, craps, alternatives
thereof or any other suitable table game. The secondary game may
also be any suitable game. In one such embodiment, the primary
table game is blackjack, played with one or more conventional decks
of 52 playing cards and the secondary game is a poker game. Prior
to the start of the primary game, each player makes a wager on the
primary game and places the wager in a primary wagering area on the
table. At the same time, each player has the option of making a
separate additional wager on the secondary game. The separate
additional wager is placed on the gaming table in a secondary
wagering area on the table. The dealer deals a hand to each player
and a hand to himself or herself. Each player may hit, stand,
double down, split, and take insurance according to the house rules
in a conventional manner. After each player's hand is finished, the
dealer reveals the dealer's down card and hits until the dealer's
hand satisfies a predetermined condition (such as the value of the
dealer's hand exceeding sixteen). The dealer determines wins and
losses for the primary game and provides each player at the table
with any payouts or collects each player's wagers in the event of a
loss in the primary game in a conventional manner.
In one embodiment, the gaming table includes at least one processor
or is associated with at least one processor that operates a card
recognition system that employs optical, radio frequency (RFID), or
other suitable card identification technologies to identify and to
keep track of each player's and dealer's cards in the primary game.
In one embodiment, the card recognition system includes a computer
tracking program. For example, in a Blackjack table game where an
optical reader is included in a card shoe, a computer tracking
program would be able to determine the number of cards dealt and at
least partially determine what cards have been dealt to the
different players at the table. In one embodiment, after
identification of the cards the processor compares each player's
cards with the dealer's cards in the primary game, and determines
whether to provide each respective player with a secondary game
element such as a card from the play of the primary game.
Specifically, the processor determines for each player, if the
player wagered on the secondary game for that play of the primary
game and if the designated condition or triggering condition was
satisfied in that play of the primary game. In such event, in one
embodiment the gaming device selects one of the cards from the
player's hand in the primary game to use as a secondary gaming
element. The gaming table includes a display device for each player
that displays that player's accumulated secondary game cards for
that player. It should be appreciated that this secondary game
feature can be provided separately to each player at the table.
Each player would have the option of participating in their
individual secondary game.
In this embodiment, when a player has achieved the designated
number of secondary game cards, the gaming device determines
whether the player's secondary game cards are a winning poker
combination. If the gaming device determines that the player has a
winning poker combination, the gaming device provides a secondary
game award to the player. The secondary game award may be based at
least in part on the value of the player's secondary game wagers.
Also, the secondary game award may be relative to the probability
of achieving a particular poker hand with the secondary game cards.
For example, the award for a royal flush would be much higher than
a reward for a three-of a kind in the secondary game.
In one embodiment, one or more secondary game cards may be
initially provided to a player free (i.e., without requiring the
player to place the optional side wager). For example, three cards
may be provided so that the player only has to accumulate two
additional cards to form a complete poker hand. In this example,
the player must place the optional side wager and satisfy the
triggering condition to receive the fourth and then fifth cards. In
one embodiment, the player must only place the optional side wager
when he or she is attempting to accumulate the fifth and final
secondary game card. Therefore, in this embodiment the player may
accumulate the first through the fourth cards over a series of
plays of the primary game without having to pay the optional side
wager. Then, if a player's first four cards form a promising poker
hand, it may be worthwhile for the player to continue to place the
optional side wager until they have obtained the fifth and final
card. In another embodiment, a player must only place the optional
side wager after a predetermined number of plays of the primary
game.
Any suitable payout method or pay table may be employed in the
secondary game, including but not limited to fixed pay tables,
scaled pay tables based on the amount(s) of each player's wagers,
and one or more progressive awards. In one such embodiment, one, a
plurality of, or each winning hand is limited to a separate
progressive award. For example, the following hands may each have a
separate progressive award as illustrated below:
TABLE-US-00001 One Pair (e.g., Jacks or Better) Progressive Award 1
Two Pair Progressive Award 2 Three of a Kind Progressive Award 3
Straight Progressive Award 4 Flush Progressive Award 5 Full House
Progressive Award 6 Four of a Kind Progressive Award 7 Straight
Flush Progressive Award 8 Royal Straight Flush Progressive Award 9
(Jackpot)
These awards may be for individual tables or gaming machines, for
groups or banks of tables or gaming machines, or for Local or Wide
Area Progressives. The gaming device may also or alternatively
include other winning combinations (e.g., Four Aces) and fixed or
progressive awards associated with the combination.
By providing progressive awards with one, some, or all of the
secondary game card hands, and providing limited tables or gaming
devices, further player enjoyment and excitement can be
generated.
It should thus be appreciated that in one embodiment of the present
invention, the primary game is played at a live gaming table and
includes a tracking system which tracks the elements, symbols or
cards provided to each player in the primary game. The primary game
is a live game with actual physical game elements such as cards or
die and the secondary game is displayed on a video display mounted
in or adjacent to the table. Upon the occurrence of a triggering
event in or associated with the primary game, the gaming device
transfers information or data for one or more primary game elements
such as symbols or cards for use in the secondary game. In the
secondary game, the gaming device processes the information or data
about the elements, symbols or cards, and causes the display device
in the table to display a visual representation of each of the
elements, symbols or cards.
In one embodiment, the display device includes a touch screen, and
each player can select one or more of the gaming elements to keep
in the secondary game. In another embodiment, the gaming elements
are all retained and displayed by the secondary game display
device. Various other suitable options can be employed in the
secondary game. In other words, the secondary game can have its own
sets of rules and functions similar to any other game.
In an alternative embodiment, the primary game is played on a
processor controlled gaming device at or mounted in a conventional
gaming machine cabinet. The primary game may be blackjack, poker
(including any of the numerous poker games), pai gow, roulette,
baccarat, craps, alternatives thereof, or any other suitable video
machine or mechanical machine based game. The secondary game may
also be any suitable game. In one embodiment, the primary game is
blackjack, played with one or more conventional decks of 52 playing
cards and the secondary game is a poker game. The gaming device
includes at least one display device such as a main display screen.
The main display screen in one embodiment is divided in several
viewing areas for displaying the player's hand, the dealer's hand,
and for displaying the secondary game cards provided to the player.
The gaming device includes a touch screen (or other suitable input
device) for enabling the player to place wagers on the primary and
secondary games. The touch screen (or other suitable input device)
also enables the player to hit, stand, double, or split cards in
the primary game in a conventional manner.
In one embodiment, at the beginning of the primary game, each
player makes a primary game wager. At the same time, each player
has the option of making a separate additional wager on the
secondary game. Both the primary game wager and the secondary game
wager are displayed by the display device. The gaming device deals
or displays a player hand and a dealer hand. Each player may hit,
stand, double down, split, or take insurance according to rules of
the primary game in a conventional manner. After the play of each
player's hands are finished, the gaming device reveals the dealer's
down card and hits the dealer's hand until the value exceeds
sixteen. The processor determines if one or more players have won
the primary game and provides those players with any payout
according to the pay table for the primary game. For each player,
the gaming device compares the player's cards and the dealer's
cards and determines whether to provide the player with a secondary
game card. In one embodiment, this secondary game element or card
is a card taken from the player's hand in the primary game. The
secondary game element or card can be determined in any other
suitable manner.
The gaming device enables each player to accumulate further
secondary game cards over several plays of the primary game. When a
player has achieved the designated or predetermined number of
secondary game cards, the gaming device determines whether the
player's secondary game cards are a winning poker combination. If
the gaming device determines that the player has a winning poker
combination, a secondary game award is provided to the player and
the player's credits are updated. The secondary game award may be
based at least in part on the value of the player's wagers in the
secondary game. Any of the above mentioned or other suitable
paytables or pay out schemes may be employed in the secondary game.
In another embodiment, at least a portion of the players' secondary
game wagers may be used to fund a progressive jackpot, where the
secondary game awards are provided from the progressive
jackpot.
In the above described embodiments, the primary game wager is
placed at the beginning of the primary game, prior to any cards
having been dealt to the players or the dealer and the secondary
game wager is placed at the same time as the primary game wager.
However, it should be appreciated that the gaming device may enable
the players to place the secondary game wager at other times during
the play of the primary game, such as after one or more of the
player's cards have been dealt (but not fully revealed), after one
or more of the dealer's cards have been dealt (but not fully
revealed), or after both the player's cards and the dealer's cards
have been dealt (but not fully revealed). In another embodiment,
the player can make a secondary wager at any point during the play
of the primary game and in one such embodiment the determination of
whether to provide a secondary gaming element to the player is a
random determination.
Alternatively, the game may enable a player to place a secondary
game wager if certain conditions are met. In one embodiment, the
game enables the player to place a secondary game wager if the
dealer receives a specified card or game element such as an ace or
a ten value up-card. In one embodiment, if the player is provided
with an opportunity to take insurance, the insurance bet may also
serve as the secondary game wager. In another embodiment, a player
can place a secondary game wager if that player is presented with
the opportunity to split or double-down. Thus, it should be
appreciated that the functions of certain bets can have dual roles
involving the secondary game.
In one embodiment, for each player the gaming device enables the
player to place a secondary game wager if the player's primary game
cards include specified combinations of cards such as a pair, three
of a kind, or if all of the player's card are the same suit. In
another embodiment, the player's initial cards in the primary game
may need to be specified card combinations such as a king and queen
of the same suit (i.e., a marriage in Pinochle), or any other
suitable combination. In one embodiment, the gaming device enables
the player to place a secondary wager on the secondary game only if
one or both of the player's initially dealt cards from the primary
game match one or more predetermined cards. Alternatively, any of
the cards in the player's hand may match the predetermined cards.
In another embodiment, the gaming device enables the player to
place a secondary wager only if one of the cards in the player's
hand matches the dealer's face-up card.
It should be appreciated that the gaming device may not require
each player to make a secondary game wager for every single play of
the primary game to be eligible to participate in the associated
secondary game. In one embodiment, one secondary game wager may
last for two or more plays of the primary game. In this embodiment,
a single secondary game wager gives a player multiple opportunities
to receive secondary game cards or elements in or over the course
of a plurality of plays of the primary game. In one embodiment, one
secondary wager may last until the player actually receives a
secondary game card from a result in the primary game. In this
embodiment, the player would be required to make only five wagers
to receive a complete secondary game hand where the hand has five
cards.
It should be understood that it is preferred to require a secondary
game wager to maintain (without adjustments) the pay table or
payout percentage of the primary game, which will typically be
known and used by the house and player. These known pay tables for
the primary game define a comfortable zone for both. The separate
wager on the secondary game enables the house to accommodate a
separate book for the secondary game payouts. However, it is
contemplated that a secondary game wager does not have to be placed
which would in turn require a higher average payback percentage
overall, or a change in the primary game average payback
percentage.
Under other circumstances, the players may not be required to place
any secondary game wagers to participate or more particularly to
the further participate in the secondary game. In one such
embodiment, if a player's secondary game cards result in a poor
poker hand, the player may not have to place any further additional
secondary game wagers to be eligible for a secondary game card.
Thus, a minimum potential threshold of the hand in the secondary
game may be necessary to require the player to make a wager on the
secondary game. For example, if the player has a 2 of diamonds, a 4
of clubs, a 6 of spades and an 8 of hearts, and has no way to win a
conventional five card Jacks or better poker hand, the player would
not be required to make another secondary game wager to receive a
card in the secondary game. In another embodiment, the gaming
machine may enable the player to choose to forfeit his or her
secondary gaming elements if they do not appear to be able to
result in a winning combination or a winning combination of a
desired amount. This essentially restarts the secondary game. These
embodiments allows the player to move to another round of the
secondary game without having to make additional secondary game
wagers or wait for the triggering conditions to occur in the
primary game. These embodiments also eliminate the need for a
player to leave a table or gaming machine if they do not like the
secondary game elements. Other solutions to this may include
allowing a player to draw one or more times to the secondary game
hand as discussed below.
In the above embodiments, the secondary game wager makes a player
eligible to or gives the player an opportunity to receive a
secondary game card if a predetermined set of criteria or a
triggering condition is satisfied or occurs in the primary game as
provided above and as further discussed below. It should be
appreciated that the triggering condition for determining when the
gaming machine provides a secondary game element to the player may
vary. In the two example embodiments described above, if a player
has placed a secondary game wager on a particular round of the
primary game, the player will receive a secondary game card if the
dealer obtains a natural blackjack. In other embodiments, the
player may receive a secondary game card if the player has received
a different negative result in the primary game. For instance, the
negative may be if the player (a) loses the hand, (b) busts, (c)
busts after having a designated hand value (such as hitting on a
hand with a value of twelve), (d) pushes or ties with a good hand
(such as a hand of eighteen or better), or (e) doubles down and
receives a total hand value of twelve or less.
In other example embodiments, a player may receive a secondary game
card if the player has received a positive result in the primary
game. For instance, if the player splits aces and draws a ten value
card for each ace.
In another embodiment, a player may be provided with a secondary
game card or element upon the occurrence of some unusual or
predetermined combination of cards in the primary game (such as a
five card Charlie). For example, in the primary blackjack game the
player may hit three times to receive a total of five cards. If
these five cards in the blackjack hand would also qualify as a
winning poker hand, the player will receive a secondary game card.
In another example, in the primary blackjack hand the player may
hit several times and receive a designated number of cards that
sequentially increase or decrease in value or rank.
In another embodiment, multiple players playing at a community
gaming table or device will receive a secondary game card or
element if a minimum number of the players at the table receive a
specified result such as blackjack. In one embodiment, even if a
player has not made a secondary game wager, the player may still
receive a secondary game card if the player's cards in the primary
game satisfy a different set of conditions.
It should also be appreciated that more than one of the different
triggering events may be employed for the same primary game.
In another embodiment, for each player the player may receive more
than one or multiple secondary game cards in one play of the
primary game. This may occur in the normal course, or upon an
occurrence of a suitable multiple secondary game element triggering
event such as the dealer and the player obtaining blackjack.
In one embodiment, the primary game is played with one or more
decks of conventional playing cards, and the secondary game
elements are cards selected from the cards in the primary game. In
this embodiment, and in other embodiments, there is the potential
for a player to accumulate more than one secondary game card of the
same rank and suit. For example, a player may accumulate two
secondary game cards that are the King-of-Hearts. In one
embodiment, to address this issue the gaming device may include a
set of rules for determining winning combination(s) if a secondary
game hand would include duplicate secondary gaming cards. In
another embodiment, the gaming device will restrict the selection
of a secondary game card to one that is not a duplicate. In such an
embodiment, if only duplicates are in the player's hand in the
primary game, a different card can be selected from a different
player's hand, the dealer's hand, the cards remaining in the
deck(s) (i.e., such as the next card in the deck(s)) or cards
previously dealt from the deck(s). Other suitable resolutions to
this may be employed in accordance with the present invention.
The secondary game may be terminated in a plurality of different
manners. In the two above described embodiments, the secondary game
terminates when a predetermined number of cards are in the
secondary game. In one embodiment, if a player discontinues
wagering on the primary game such as by leaving the table or
cashing out of the gaming machine, all of the accumulated secondary
game elements would be forfeited. In alternate embodiments, the
player may be allowed to save the accumulated secondary game
elements under certain circumstances.
In one embodiment, where the primary game is played at a
conventional gaming table with a human dealer, one or more players
may temporarily leave the gaming table and the gaming device will
retain the players' secondary game cards for a limited period of
time. In this embodiment, the players may place a marker at their
playing position to hold their secondary game cards while they
temporarily leave the table.
In another embodiment, when a player leaves the table or gaming
device, the secondary game elements are stored on a internal or
portable memory device, or stored in memory such as on a Local Area
Network. It should also be appreciated that in one embodiment the
secondary game may be tied to the player's player tracking card
which will enable the player to store and retrieve the secondary
game elements to continue to play the secondary game.
In one embodiment, where a player has left the primary game, a
computing device may keep track of the limited amount of time
before the player must return to wagering on the primary game. If
the time expires, the secondary bonus elements may be forfeited or
suitably stored for later play.
In another embodiment, if one player cashes out and leaves the
primary game having accumulated at least one secondary game
element, a new player may start playing and have the option of
using the previous player's accumulated secondary game
elements.
As discussed above, in one embodiment, the primary game is a card
game played at a gaming table with a live dealer and one or more
conventional decks of fifty-two playing cards. In this embodiment,
the gaming table may include suitable scanning or reading
technologies that are capable of identifying the values of the
dealer's and player's cards. In one embodiment, the card
identification system further includes a computer tracking program.
For example, where an optical reader is included in a card shoe, a
computer tracking program would be able to determine the number of
cards dealt and at least partially determine what cards have been
dealt to the different players based in part on the rules of the
game. The scanning technologies may be optical, based on radio
frequency identification or another suitable method.
One example of this type of technology is described in U.S. Patent
Application No. 2003/0171142 to Toshiyuki et al., which discloses a
card data reader where the card data recorded on the back of each
player card will be read by an internal image sensor. Another
example of this technology is described in U.S. Patent Application
No. 2002/0042298 to Soltys et al. ("Soltys"), which discloses a
table monitor that automatically images the activity occurring at a
gaming table. The Soltys application describes an imaging system
that makes a periodic comparison of captured images identifying
player wagering, as well as the appearance, removal and position of
cards and other game objects on the gaming table. A third example
of a scanning/tracking technology is described in U.S. Patent
Application No. 2003/0171142 to Stephen et al. ("Stephen"). The
Stephen application describes a method of scanning and tracking
cards in a physical deck and dealing a virtual hand of blackjack to
each of the players at a gaming table, thereby allowing the players
to have their cards come from an actual shuffled deck and
eliminating the need for a human dealer. These patents are merely
examples of the types of technologies which maybe employed. It
should be appreciated that other suitable technologies may be
employed.
Employing such a tracking system in the table game would allow the
operator to track the cards in the secondary game without adding
too much additional work or distractions for the dealer. This may
avoid distracting the dealer from the primary blackjack game, which
already requires a high level of the dealer's attention.
Employing such tracking technologies and by providing a display
screen (either a community screen on or above the table or multiple
individual screens) the present invention provides the opportunity
to allow each player to effortlessly recall previously dealt cards
for viewing and/or play in a secondary game. Providing a display
(i.e., that shows the accumulated secondary cards of each of the
players at the table) gives a blackjack player an opportunity to
review previously played cards. This may give each player
information in deciding whether to hit or stand on subsequent
rounds of the primary game and may lead to increased enjoyment and
excitement for players.
In another embodiment, similar tracking technologies as described
above are also employed to determine and keep track of a player's
primary wagers and/or secondary wagers. In one embodiment, the
tracking technologies identify the amount of each of the player's
secondary wagers and store these amounts in a memory device.
Therefore, a computing device can factor in the amounts of a
player's secondary game wagers in determining a secondary game
award in addition to tracking the chips on the table.
As discussed above, the awards in the secondary game may be based
on a paytable. This paytable may be based on the minimum, average
and maximum secondary game wagers and/or the minimum, average and
maximum primary game wagers. It should also be appreciated that the
gaming device of the present invention could employ one or more
progressive awards for the winning secondary game outcomes as
described above or otherwise.
It should thus be appreciated that in one embodiment, the gaming
device includes a primary blackjack card game. The gaming device
also includes a secondary poker card game, where the cards in the
secondary game are obtained in a series of plays of the primary
game. Each card is obtained for the secondary game in a play of the
primary game if a player makes a separate additional wager on said
play of the secondary game and a triggering event occurs. Each card
is a component from the respective play of the primary game. An
outcome for the secondary game is determined after a predetermined
number of cards are obtained in the secondary game during the plays
of the primary game.
It should thus be appreciated that in another embodiment, the
primary game is played at a blackjack table. The blackjack table
has several player positions and a dealer position. The game table
includes a primary blackjack card game including at least one deck
of playing cards. The blackjack table includes a separate secondary
game display at at least one of the player positions at the table,
and a secondary game for each player position that is displayed by
the secondary game display. For each play of the primary game a
secondary game element in the secondary game is obtained based on
whether a player makes a separate additional wager on the play of
the primary game and a triggering event occurs. The blackjack table
also includes a method for tracking the cards in each play of the
primary game and automatically determining if at least one
secondary game element is provided to the secondary game for that
play of the primary game. An outcome is determined for the
secondary game after a predetermined number of secondary game
elements are obtained in the secondary game based on the plays of
the primary game.
It should be appreciated that the primary game and secondary game
may be played on a pub-style table-top game, a personal computer, a
hand held gaming device, or any other suitable gaming platform.
An advantage of the present invention is that a player can
accumulate secondary game elements if the player continues to play
additional rounds of the primary game. This provides the
possibility of a large secondary game award or payout if the player
obtains a winning combination of secondary game elements.
Another advantage of the present invention is that a secondary game
is provided that further holds the player's interest during several
plays of the primary game.
Additional features and advantages of the present invention are
described in, and will be apparent from, the following Detailed
Description of the Invention and the figures.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
FIG. 1A is front perspective view of one embodiment of the gaming
device of the present invention.
FIG. 1B is front perspective view of another embodiment of the
gaming device of the present invention.
FIG. 1C is a front perspective view of another embodiment of the
gaming device of the present invention.
FIG. 1D is a top view of the gaming device of FIG. 1C.
FIG. 1E is an enlarged fragmentary top view of a section of the
gaming table illustrated in FIG. 1D.
FIG. 2A is a schematic diagram of the electronic configuration of
one embodiment of the gaming device of the present invention.
FIG. 2B is a schematic diagram of the data network that one or more
of the gaming devices of the present invention may be connected
to.
FIG. 3A is a flow diagram of the operation of one embodiment of the
present invention.
FIG. 3B is a partial flow diagram of the operation of one
embodiment of the present invention where the primary game is
blackjack.
FIG. 3C is a partial flow diagram of the operation of one
embodiment of the present invention where the primary game is
blackjack.
FIG. 4 is a partial flow diagram of the operation of one embodiment
of the present invention where the primary game is blackjack.
FIG. 5 is a partial flow diagram of the operation of one embodiment
of the present invention where the primary game is blackjack.
FIG. 6 is a partial flow diagram of the operation of one embodiment
of the present invention where the primary game is blackjack.
FIGS. 7A, 7B, 7C, 7D, 7E and 7F are illustrations of screen
displays for a first round of the primary game, where the player
achieves a secondary game card.
FIGS. 8A, 8B, 8C and 8D are illustrations of screen displays for a
second round of the primary game, where the player achieves a
second secondary game card.
FIGS. 9A, 9B, 9C and 9D are illustrations of screen displays for a
subsequent round of the primary game, where the player achieves a
fifth secondary game card to complete the secondary game hand.
FIGS. 10A, 10B, 10C, 10D and 10E are top views of one embodiment of
the gaming device, where the primary and secondary games are played
at a gaming table.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring now to the drawings, two alternative embodiments of the
gaming device of the present invention are illustrated in FIGS. 1A
and 1B as gaming device 10a and gaming device 10b, respectively.
Gaming device 10a and/or gaming device 10b are generally referred
to herein as gaming device 10. In another embodiment, as shown in
FIGS. 1C, 1D and 1E, the gaming device can be a live gaming table
such as a blackjack table.
In one embodiment, as illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B, gaming device
10 has a support structure, housing or cabinet which provides
support for a plurality of displays, inputs, controls and other
features of a conventional gaming machine. It is configured so that
a player can operate it while standing or sitting. The gaming
device may be positioned on a base or stand or can be configured as
a pub-style table-top game (not shown) which a player can operate
preferably while sitting. As illustrated by the different
configurations shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the gaming device can be
constructed with varying cabinet and display configurations.
In one embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 2A, the gaming device
preferably includes at least one processor 12, such as a
microprocessor, a microcontroller-based platform, a suitable
integrated circuit or one or more application-specific integrated
circuits (ASIC's). The processor is in communication with or
operable to access or to exchange signals with at least one data
storage or memory device 14. In one embodiment, the processor and
the memory device reside within the cabinet of the gaming device.
The memory device stores program code and instructions, executable
by the processor, to control the gaming device. The memory device
also stores other data such as image data, event data, player input
data, random or pseudo-random number generators, pay-table data or
other operating data, information and applicable game rules that
relate to the play of the gaming device. In another embodiment, the
memory device includes random access memory (RAM). In one
embodiment, the memory device includes read only memory (ROM). In a
further embodiment, the memory device includes flash memory and/or
EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable read only memory). Any
other suitable magnetic, optical and/or semiconductor memory may be
implemented in conjunction with the gaming device of the present
invention.
In one embodiment, part or all of the program code and/or operating
data described above can be stored in a detachable or removable
memory device, including, but not limited to, a suitable cartridge,
disk, CD ROM, smartcard, memory stick, Compact Flash memory module
or USB removable flash drive. A player can use such a removable
memory device in a desktop, a laptop personal computer, a personal
digital assistant (PDA) or other computerized platform. The
processor and memory device may be collectively referred to herein
as a computer or controller.
In one embodiment, as discussed in more detail below, the gaming
device randomly generates awards and/or other game outcomes based
on probability data. That is, each award or other game outcome is
associated with a probability and the gaming device generates the
award or other game outcome to be provided to the player based on
the associated probabilities. In this embodiment, since the gaming
device generates outcomes randomly or based upon a probability
calculation, there is no certainty that the gaming device will
provide the player with any specific award or other game
outcome.
In another embodiment, as discussed in more detail below, the
gaming device employs a predetermined or finite set or pool of
awards or other game outcomes. In this embodiment, as each award or
other game outcome is provided to the player, the gaming device
removes the provided award or other game outcome from the
predetermined set or pool. Once removed from the set or pool, the
specific provided award or other game outcome cannot be provided to
the player again. In this type of embodiment, the gaming device
provides players with all of the available awards or other game
outcomes over the course of the play cycle and guarantees a
designated amount of actual wins and losses.
In one embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 2A, the gaming device
includes one or more display devices controlled by the processor.
The display devices are preferably connected to or mounted to the
cabinet of the gaming device. In another embodiment, as seen in
FIGS. 1C, 1D and 1E, at least one of the display devices is part of
a live gaming table such as a blackjack table. The embodiment shown
in FIG. 1A includes a central display device 16 which displays a
primary game. This display device may also display any suitable
secondary game associated with the primary game as well as
information relating to the primary or secondary game. The
alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 1B includes a central display
device 16 and an upper display device 18. The upper display device
may display the primary game, any suitable secondary game
associated with the primary game and/or information relating to the
primary or secondary game. In another embodiment, at least one
display device may be a mobile display device, such as a PDA or
tablet PC, that enables at least a portion of the primary or
secondary game to be played at a location remote from the gaming
device. As seen in FIGS. 1A and 1B, in one embodiment, the gaming
device includes a credit display 20 which displays a player's
current number of credits, cash, account balance or the equivalent.
In one embodiment, the gaming device includes a bet display 22
which displays a player's amount wagered.
The display devices may include, without limitation, a monitor, a
television display, a plasma display, a liquid crystal display
(LCD), a display based on light emitting diodes (LED) or any other
suitable electronic device or display mechanism. In one embodiment,
as described in more detail below, the display device includes a
touch-screen with an associated touch-screen controller. The
display devices may be of any suitable configuration, such as a
square, a rectangle or an elongated rectangle.
The display devices of the gaming device are configured to display
at least one and preferably a plurality of games or other suitable
images, symbols and indicia such as any visual representation or
exhibition of the movement of objects such as mechanical, virtual
or video reels and wheels, dynamic lighting, video images and
images of people, characters, places, things and faces of cards,
tournament advertisements, promotions and the like.
In one alternative embodiment, the symbols, images and indicia
displayed on or by the display device may be in mechanical form.
That is, the display device may include any suitable
electromechanical device which preferable moves one or more
mechanical objects, such as one or more mechanical rotatable
wheels, reels or dice, configured to display at least one and
preferably a plurality of games or other suitable images, cards,
symbols or indicia.
As illustrated in FIG. 2A, in one embodiment, the gaming device
includes at least one payment acceptor 24 in communication with the
processor. As seen in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the payment acceptor may
include a coin slot 26 and a payment, note or bill acceptor 28,
where the player inserts money, coins or tokens. The player can
place coins in the coin slot or paper money, ticket or voucher into
the payment, note or bill acceptor. In other embodiments, devices
such as readers or validators for credit cards, debit cards, data
cards or credit slips could be used for accepting payment. In one
embodiment, a player may insert an identification card into a card
reader of the gaming device. In one embodiment, the identification
card is a smart card having a programmed microchip or a magnetic
strip coded with a player's identification, credit totals and other
relevant information. In one embodiment, money may be transferred
to a gaming device through electronic funds transfer. When a player
funds the gaming device, the processor determines the amount of
funds entered and the corresponding amount is shown on the credit
or other suitable display as described above. In the embodiment
shown in FIGS. 1C-1E, where the gaming played at a live game table,
the card may be transferred to a dealer in exchange for playing
chips.
As seen in FIGS. 1A, 1B and 2A, in one embodiment the gaming device
includes at least one and preferably a plurality of input devices
30 in communication with the processor. The input devices can
include any suitable device which enables the player to produce an
input signal which is read by the processor. In one embodiment,
after appropriate funding of the gaming device, the input device is
a game activation device, such as a pull arm 32 or a play button 34
which is used by the player to start any primary game or sequence
of events in the gaming device. The play button can be any suitable
play activator such as a bet one button, a maximum bet button or a
repeat the bet button. In one embodiment, upon appropriate funding,
the gaming device begins the game play automatically. In another
embodiment, upon the player engaging one of the play buttons, the
gaming device automatically activates game play.
In one embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, one input device is
a bet one button 36. The player places a bet by pushing the bet one
button. The player can increase the bet by one credit each time the
player pushes the bet one button. When the player pushes the bet
one button, the number of credits shown in the credit display
preferably decreases by one, and the number of credits shown in the
bet display preferably increases by one. In another embodiment, one
input device is a bet max button (not shown) which enables the
player to bet the maximum wager permitted for a game associated
with the gaming device.
In one embodiment, one input device is a cash out button 38. The
player may push the cash out button and cash out to receive a cash
payment or other suitable form of payment corresponding to the
number of remaining credits. In one embodiment, when the player
cashes out, the player receives the coins or tokens in a coin
payout tray 40. In one embodiment, when the player cashes out, the
player may receive other payout mechanisms such as tickets or
credit slips which are redeemable by a cashier or funded to the
player's electronically recordable identification card. In the
embodiment shown in FIGS. 1C, 1D and 1E where the game is played at
a live gaming table, the player takes the chips which are
redeemable by a cashier.
In one embodiment, as mentioned above and seen in FIG. 2A, one
input device is a touch-screen 42 coupled with a touch-screen
controller 44, or some other touch-sensitive display overlay to
allow for player interaction with the images on the display. The
touch-screen and the touch-screen controller are connected to a
video controller 46. A player can make decisions and input signals
into the gaming device by touching the touch-screen at the
appropriate places.
The gaming device may further include a plurality of communication
ports for enabling communication of the processor with external
peripherals, such as external video sources, expansion buses, game
or other displays, an SCSI port or a key pad.
In one embodiment, as seen in FIG. 2A, the gaming device includes a
sound generating device controlled by one or more sounds cards 48
which function in conjunction with the processor. In one
embodiment, the sound generating device includes at least one and
preferably a plurality of speakers 50 or other sound generating
hardware and/or software for generating sounds, such as playing
music for the primary and/or secondary game or for other modes of
the gaming device, such as an attract mode. In one embodiment, the
gaming device provides dynamic sounds coupled with attractive
multimedia images displayed on one or more of the display devices
to provide an audio-visual representation or to otherwise display
full-motion video with sound to attract players to the gaming
device. During idle periods, the gaming device may display a
sequence of audio and/or visual attraction messages to attract
potential players to the gaming device. The videos may also be
customized for or to provide any appropriate information.
In one embodiment, the gaming machine may include a player or other
sensor, such as a camera in communication with the processor (and
possibly controlled by the processor) that is selectively
positioned to acquire an image of a player actively using the
gaming device and/or the surrounding area of the gaming device. In
one embodiment, the camera may be configured to selectively acquire
still or moving (e.g., video) images and may be configured to
acquire the images in either an analog, digital or other suitable
format. The display device may be configured to display the image
acquired by the camera as well as display the visible manifestation
of the game in split screen or picture-in-picture fashion. For
example, the camera may acquire an image of the player and that
image can be incorporated into the primary and/or secondary game as
a game image, symbol or indicia.
In one embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 2B, one or more of the
gaming devices 10 of the present invention may be connected to a
data network or a remote communication link 58 with some or all of
the functions of each gaming device provided at a central location
such as a central server or central controller 56. More
specifically, the processor of each gaming device may be designed
to facilitate transmission of signals between the individual gaming
device and the central server or controller.
In one embodiment, the game outcome provided to the player is
determined by a central server or controller and provided to the
player at the gaming device of the present invention. In this
embodiment, each of a plurality of such gaming devices are in
communication with the central server or controller. Upon a player
initiating game play at one of the gaming devices, the initiated
gaming device communicates a game outcome request to the central
server or controller.
In one embodiment, the central server or controller receives the
game outcome request and randomly generates a game outcome for the
primary game based on probability data. In another embodiment, the
central server or controller randomly generates a game outcome for
the secondary game based on probability data. In another
embodiment, the central server or controller randomly generates a
game outcome for both the primary game and the secondary game based
on probability data. In this embodiment, the central server or
controller is capable of storing and utilizing program code or
other data similar to the processor and memory device of the gaming
device.
In an alternative embodiment, the central server or controller
maintains one or more predetermined pools or sets of predetermined
game outcomes. In this embodiment, the central server or controller
receives the game outcome request and independently selects a
predetermined game outcome from a set or pool of game outcomes. The
central server or controller flags or marks the selected game
outcome as used. Once a game outcome is flagged as used, it is
prevented from further selection from the set or pool and cannot be
selected by the central controller or server upon another wager.
The provided game outcome can include a primary game outcome, a
secondary game outcome, primary and secondary game outcomes, or a
series of game outcomes such a free games.
The central server or controller communicates the generated or
selected game outcome to the initiated gaming device. The gaming
device receives the generated or selected game outcome and provides
the game outcome to the player. In an alternative embodiment, how
the generated or selected game outcome is to be presented or
displayed to the player, such as a reel symbol combination of a
slot machine or a hand of cards dealt in a card game, is also
determined by the central server or controller and communicated to
the initiated gaming device to be presented or displayed to the
player. Central production or control can assist a gaming
establishment or other entity in maintaining appropriate records,
controlling gaming, reducing and/or preventing cheating or
electronic or other errors, reducing or eliminating win-loss
volatility and the like.
In another embodiment, one or more of the gaming devices of the
present invention are in communication with a central server or
controller for monitoring purposes only. That is, each individual
gaming device randomly generates the game outcomes to be provided
to the player and the central server or controller monitors the
activities and events occurring on the plurality of gaming devices.
In one embodiment, the gaming network includes a real-time or an
on-line accounting and gaming information system operably coupled
to the central server or controller. The accounting and gaming
information system of this embodiment includes a player database
for storing player profiles, a player tracking module for tracking
players and a credit system for providing automated casino
transactions.
A plurality of the gaming devices of the present invention are
capable of being connected to a data network. In one embodiment,
the data network is a local area network (LAN), in which one or
more of the gaming devices are substantially proximate to each
other and an on-site central server or controller as in, for
example, a gaming establishment or a portion of a gaming
establishment. In another embodiment, the data network is a wide
area network (WAN) in which one or more of the gaming devices are
in communication with at least one off-site central server or
controller. In this embodiment, the plurality of gaming devices may
be located in a different part of the gaming establishment or
within a different gaming establishment than the off-site central
server or controller. Thus, the WAN may include an off-site central
server or controller and an off-site gaming device located within
gaming establishments in the same geographic area, such as a city
or state. The WAN gaming system of the present invention may be
substantially identical to the LAN gaming system described above,
although the number of gaming devices in each system may vary
relative to each other.
In another embodiment, the data network is an internet or intranet.
In this embodiment, the operation of the gaming device can be
viewed at the gaming device with at least one internet browser. In
this embodiment, operation of the gaming device and accumulation of
credits may be accomplished with only a connection to the central
server or controller (the internet/intranet server or webserver)
through a conventional phone or other data transmission line,
digital signal line (DSL), T-1 line, coaxial cable, fiber optic
cable, wireless gateway or other suitable connection. In this
embodiment, players may access an internet game page from any
location where an internet connection and computer, or other
internet facilitator are available. The expansion in the number of
computers and number and speed of internet connections in recent
years increases opportunities for players to play from an
ever-increasing number of remote sites. It should be appreciated
that enhanced bandwidth of digital wireless communications may
render such technology suitable for some or all communications
according to the present invention, particularly if such
communications are encrypted. Higher data transmission speeds may
be useful for enhancing the sophistication and response of the
display and interaction with the player.
In another embodiment, a plurality of gaming devices at one or more
gaming sites may be networked to a central server in a progressive
configuration, as known in the art, wherein a portion of each wager
to initiate a primary game may be allocated to bonus or secondary
event awards. In one embodiment, a host site computer is coupled to
a plurality of the central servers at a variety of mutually remote
gaming sites for providing a multi-site linked progressive
automated gaming system. In one embodiment, a host site computer
may serve gaming devices distributed throughout a number of
properties at different geographical locations including, for
example, different locations within a city or different cities
within a state.
In one embodiment, the host site computer is maintained for the
overall operation and control of the system. In this embodiment, a
host site computer oversees the entire progressive gaming system
and is the master for computing all progressive jackpots. All
participating gaming sites report to, and receive information from,
the host site computer. Each central server computer is responsible
for all data communication between the gaming device hardware and
software and the host site computer.
The gaming device can incorporate any suitable wagering primary
game. The gaming machine or device of the present invention may
include some or all of the features of conventional gaming machines
or devices. The primary game may comprise any suitable reel-type
game, card game, number game or other game of chance susceptible to
representation in an electronic or electromechanical form which
produces a random outcome based on probability data upon activation
of the game from a wager made by the player. The primary game can
also involve a risk, skill, or knowledge based event. That is,
different primary wagering games, such as video poker games, video
blackjack games, video keno, video bingo or any other suitable
primary game may be implemented into the present invention. It
should be appreciated that regardless of which primary game is
utilized, the gaming device of the present invention enables the
player to play a simultaneous secondary game.
In one embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 1A, a primary game may be
a slot game with one or more paylines 52. The paylines may be
horizontal, vertical, circular, diagonal, angled or any combination
thereof. In this embodiment, the gaming device displays at least
one reel and preferably a plurality of reels 54, such as three to
five reels, in either electromechanical form with mechanical
rotating reels or in video form with simulated reels and movement
thereof. In one embodiment, an electromechanical slot machine
includes a plurality of adjacent, rotatable wheels which may be
combined and operably coupled with an electronic display of any
suitable type. In another embodiment, if the reels are in video
form, the plurality of simulated video reels are displayed on one
or more of the display devices as described above. Each reel
displays a plurality of indicia such as bells, hearts, fruits,
numbers, letters, bars or other images which preferably correspond
to a theme associated with the gaming device. In this embodiment,
the gaming device awards prizes when the reels of the primary game
stop spinning if specified types and/or configurations of indicia
or symbols occur on an active pay line or otherwise occur in a
winning combination or pattern.
In another embodiment, a primary game may be a poker game wherein
the gaming device enables the player to play a conventional game of
video poker and initially deals five cards, all face up, from a
virtual deck of fifty-two cards. Cards may be dealt as in a
traditional game of cards or in the case of the gaming device, the
cards may be randomly selected from a predetermined number of
cards. If the player wishes to draw, the player selects the cards
to hold by using one or more input devices, such as pressing
related hold buttons or touching a corresponding area on a
touch-screen. After the player presses the deal button, the
processor of the gaming device removes the unwanted or discarded
cards from the display and deals replacement cards from the
remaining cards in the deck. This results in a final five-card
hand. The processor of the gaming device compares the final
five-card hand to a payout table which utilizes conventional poker
hand rankings to determine the winning hands. Award based on a
winning hand and the credits wagered is provided to the player.
In another embodiment, the primary game may be a multi-hand version
of video poker. In this embodiment, the player is dealt at least
two hands of cards. In one such embodiment, the cards in all of the
dealt hands are the same cards. In one embodiment each hand of
cards is associated with its own deck of cards. The player chooses
the cards to hold in a primary hand. The held cards in the primary
hand are also held in the other hands of cards. The remaining
non-held cards are removed from each displayed hand and replaced
with randomly dealt cards. Since the replacement cards are randomly
dealt independently for each hand, the replacement cards will
usually be different for each hand. The poker hand rankings are
determined hand by hand and awards are provided to the player.
In one embodiment, a primary game may be a keno game wherein the
gaming device displays a plurality of selectable indicia or numbers
on at least one of the display devices. In this embodiment, the
player selects at least one and preferably a plurality of the
selectable indicia or numbers by using an input device or by using
the touch-screen. The gaming device displays a series of drawn
numbers to determine an amount of matches, if any, between the
player's selected numbers and the gaming device's drawn numbers.
The player is provided an award, if any, based on the amount of
determined matches.
In another embodiment, as seen in FIG. 1B, the primary game may be
a conventional game of blackjack or 21 game where the gaming device
10 displays a dealer's hand 21 and a player's hand 23 for a primary
game. The gaming device also displays the player's secondary hand
25 used in a secondary game. Alternatively, the secondary game and
the player's secondary hand could be displayed on a second display
device 18. In one embodiment, the player decides to place a primary
wager on the primary game with the bet input button 36, and
optionally place a secondary game wager with the bet input button
36. In another embodiment, the player can place a bet using a touch
screen. The player decides whether to hit or stand against the
dealer's hand according the strategy of the game. In one
embodiment, the player is provided a primary game award, if any,
based on the results of the blackjack hand in the primary game. The
player is also provided with a secondary game element, if any,
based on the results from the primary game, and the gaming element
appears in the player's secondary hand.
In another embodiment, as seen in FIGS. 1C, 1D and 1E, the primary
game may be a conventional game of blackjack or 21 played at a live
gaming table 68, on a playing surface 69, with a human dealer. The
gaming table generally includes a chip tray 70 for holding several
stacks of the dealer's chips. The dealer uses chips from the chip
tray 70 to pay out winning hands or collect chips from players when
they have lost. For each of a plurality of playing areas 72a to
72e, there is a primary game wagering area 74 and a secondary game
wagering area 76 (best seen in FIG. 1E). In one embodiment, prior
to the initiation of the round of blackjack, each player places his
or her wager substantially within the primary game and secondary
game wagering areas 74, 76. In another embodiment, the players may
place the secondary game wagers at a later time. Generally, as seen
in FIG. 1E, the secondary game wager 78 will be smaller than the
primary game wager 80. However, in other embodiments, the secondary
game wager 78 may be equal or larger than the primary game wager
80. As seen in FIG. 1C, the gaming table includes a plurality of
display devices 82a to 82e, one for each of the players. In one
embodiment, the display devices are used for displaying a plurality
of secondary game cards 84 that may have been accumulated by each
player over the course of several rounds of the primary blackjack
game. In a further embodiment, the gaming table 68 may include
another display device 86 that displays a progressive award 88. The
progressive award 88 may be determined by the play of just one
particular round of blackjack, it may be determined by several
rounds of blackjack, or it may be determined by contributions from
different gaming tables 68 throughout the gaming establishment,
each gaming table 68 linked through a network.
It should also be appreciated that in addition to the secondary
game of the present invention, the gaming device may employ one or
more other bonus games in a conventional manner.
Gaming Device Having Secondary Game Played In Parallel With
Sequence of Plays of Primary Games
The operation of one embodiment of the present invention is
generally illustrated in FIGS. 3A, 3B, 3C, 4, 5 and 6. FIG. 3A
includes a general overview of the operation of one embodiment of
the gaming device. The gaming device initiates the primary game as
indicated in step 182. The gaming device requires each player to
make a wager on the primary game, as indicated by block 184. The
gaming device also enables each player to make an optional
secondary game wager on the secondary game as indicated in block
186. The primary game is played and the gaming device determines
whether each player has won or lost as indicated in block 188. For
each player the gaming device determines whether the player
receives a secondary game element to be used in the secondary game,
as indicated in block 190. The processor determines whether the
number of accumulated secondary elements is equal to a designated
number of elements as indicated by decision diamond 192. If one or
more players have accumulated the designated number of secondary
game elements, the gaming device determines whether or not the
secondary game elements or cards form a winning combination, and
provides a secondary game award 194, if any, to the player or
players.
Referring to FIG. 3B, in one embodiment, the primary game is a
blackjack game. The game starts as indicated in step 102, and the
gaming device requires each player to make a primary wager on the
primary game as indicated in block 104. The primary wager must be
equal to or exceed the minimum primary wager amount and must not
exceed the maximum wager amount. These amounts are set by an
operator or the house rules and may be any suitable amounts. It
should be appreciated that the primary game wagers made by each
player can be equal or different for each subsequent play of the
primary game.
The gaming device also enables each player to make an optional
secondary game wager on the secondary game as indicated in block
106. The gaming device displays each player's remaining credits or
balance as indicated in block 108. The gaming device may also
display the pay table for the primary game as indicted by block
110.
The gaming device deals the cards in a conventional manner which
may include displaying each player's two initial cards face up as
indicated by block 112, and the dealer two cards are initially
dealt with only one card face up. The two-card value of each
player's hand is computed as indicated in block 114. The gaming
device displays the value of each player's hand and the dealer's
up-card as indicated in blocks 116 and 118 (see also, FIG. 7D).
If the dealer's revealed card or face up card is an ace or a ten
value card 120, there is a possibility that the dealer has
blackjack, in which case the primary game would end without the
player drawing any cards. In this embodiment, an immediate
determination of whether the dealer has blackjack may be required.
If the dealer's face up card is not an ace or a ten value card the
primary game can continue. In a different embodiment, each player
may hit before the dealer's down-card is revealed. The gaming
device activates and displays the stand button 212, the hit button
214, the double down button 216 (if doubling is allowed for that
situation under house rules), and the split button 218 (if
splitting is allowed for that situation under house rules) as
indicated in block 122. If pairs of the same value cards are dealt
in a player's hand in the primary game, the split button 218
becomes active and the player can choose to split the pairs as
indicated in decision diamond 124. If the pair of cards is split,
the wager is doubled and the player plays out each hand according
to normal rules, as shown in block 126. Under certain house rules,
if the split pair is a pair of Aces the bet is doubled and the
player receives only one additional card for each new hand.
Moreover, under certain house rules split pairs may be subsequently
re-split or doubled own a number of times.
Continuing with FIG. 3B, if splitting is not an option or if the
player decides not to split the pair, the player must choose
whether or not to double down, if possible, as indicated by
decision diamond 128. Also, at this time the player decides whether
to take insurance or surrender (not shown) based upon the
controlling house rules of blackjack.
As seen in FIG. 3C, after the player has chosen to double down, the
bet is adjusted as indicated in block 129. In such case, one and
only one card is dealt to the player's hands as indicated in block
131. The value of each hand is computed as indicated by block
133.
As shown in FIG. 4, and continued from FIG. 3B, if the player has
not chosen to split or double down, the player may take a hit as
indicated in block 130. The hit button is displayed and becomes
active as indicated in block 132. The player may take a hit as
indicated by block 134 and then the gaming device deals a card to
the player and computes the value of the player's hand as indicated
by block 136. The value of the player's hand is displayed by the
display device as indicated by block 138. The processor determines
if the player's hand has exceeded twenty-one as indicated by
decision diamond 140. If a player's hand exceeds twenty-one, the
player has busted and loses at least the primary game wager, and
the primary game ends 142. If the player has not exceeded
twenty-one, the player may hit again as indicated by decision
diamond 130.
Continuing with FIG. 4, if the player has not exceeded twenty-one
and has chosen to stand as indicated by block 130, the dealer's
hand is played out according to traditional blackjack rules or the
controlling house rules as indicated by block 144. The processor
compares the value of the dealer's hand to the value of the
player's hand as indicated by block 146 and determines whether the
player has won or lost the primary game as indicated by block 148.
The win or loss is displayed by the display device as indicated in
block 150 (see also, FIG. 7F). If the player has won or pushed on
the primary game wager, the credits are updated according to the
pay table 206 (see FIG. 7A), as indicated by block 152. If the
player chooses to play again, any secondary game cards accumulated
by the player will be retained in memory for use in subsequent
rounds or plays of the primary game. In this embodiment, if the
player chooses to leave the table, or temporarily quit playing, the
player loses all secondary game cards as indicated by block
156.
Referring to FIG. 5 and continuing from FIG. 3B, the dealer's face
up card was an ace or a ten value card and a determination must be
made as to whether the dealer has blackjack. The gaming device
identifies the dealer's down card as indicated by block 158 and
determines if the dealer has a blackjack as indicated by block 160.
If the dealer does not have a blackjack, the gaming device plays
out the dealer's hand according to FIG. 4 and as described above.
If the dealer has a blackjack the gaming device reveals the
dealer's hand and then for each player the gaming device determines
whether the player made a secondary game wager as indicated by
decision diamond 162. If the player had made a secondary game
wager, the gaming device provides the player with a secondary game
card as indicated by block 166 and adds the secondary game card to
the secondary hand (see also, FIG. 7F). The gaming device
determines whether the player has less than a designated number of
secondary game cards, as indicated by decision diamond 170. If the
player has less than the designated number of secondary bonus
cards, the player must decide whether to wager another round of the
primary game as indicated by decision diamond 168. In this
embodiment, if the player chooses not to wager on another round of
the primary game, the player loses all of the secondary game cards
and the secondary game ends as indicated by block 172. If the
player chooses to wager on another round of the primary game, the
gaming device begins another play of the primary game as indicated
in step 102 (as seen in FIG. 3B). Also, if the player chooses to
play another round of the primary game, the gaming device retains
all secondary game cards to be used in subsequent rounds.
In one embodiment, for each player the goal of the secondary game
is to accumulate a total of five secondary game cards in an attempt
to make a winning poker hand. It should be appreciated that the
number accumulated secondary game elements may vary. Referring now
to FIG. 6, if a player has collected his or her fifth secondary
game card, the gaming device determines whether or not the player's
secondary game hand is a winning combination of cards as indicated
by block 174. In one embodiment, the winning combination of cards
is a high ranking poker hand, such as a straight, a flush, a full
house, four of a kind, two pair, a straight flush, or a royal
straight flush. The gaming device displays any secondary game award
associated with the player's secondary game hand as indicated by
block 176. The gaming device updates the player's credits as
indicated by block 178. In one embodiment, the value of the jackpot
award would be larger with a higher ranking poker hand such as a
royal flush. After the player's credits have been updated, the
number of secondary game cards returns to zero as indicated by
block 180 and the play starts over as indicated in step 102 (see
FIG. 3B).
FIGS. 7A to 7F, FIGS. 8A to 8D and FIGS. 9A to 9D illustrate an
example of a play of a secondary poker game over a sequence of
rounds or plays of the primary blackjack game that is played at a
gaming cabinet. This example play of the secondary poker game
results in the player being awarded a large award for a successful
combination of cards. This example of the present invention is
configured on a conventional type gaming machine for illustrative
purposes.
More specifically, the display 200 has three main display areas, a
dealer's hand display 194, a player's primary hand display 196, and
a player's secondary hand display 198. The display 200 displays an
area for or card positions for a dealer blackjack hand 202, an area
for or card positions for a player blackjack hand 204, and an area
for card positions 242a to 242e for a secondary poker game, with
secondary game cards accumulated from plays of the primary
blackjack game.
The gaming device displays a pay table 206 of the payouts of the
primary blackjack game. The paytable includes a one to one payout
for a win, three to two for a blackjack. It should be appreciated
however, that the payouts may be any suitable ratio of the wager
and may vary according to different house or operator rules. For
example, if the house allows for liberal splitting and
re-splitting, the payout for a blackjack may only be one to one in
order to give the gambling establishment a slight advantage.
The display 200 (which includes a touch screen in this example)
includes several player inputs or buttons which enable a player to
enter decisions and several displays or meters which provide the
player information about the player's credits and wagers. The
inputs or buttons include the stand button 212, the hit button 214,
the double button 216, and the split button 218 that become active
when appropriate during the play of the primary game. The displays
include the credit display 220, the primary game bet display 224,
the secondary game bet display 228, the total bet display 232,
message display 236, and number of secondary game cards display
240.
In this example, the player has deposited one-hundred credits and
the gaming device displays the one-hundred credits 222 in the
credit display 220. The number of secondary game cards 238 is zero
as displayed in the secondary game cards display 240 because this
is prior to the player's first hand of the primary blackjack game.
The gaming device displays a message in the message display 236
that the player should place a wager on the primary blackjack
game.
FIG. 7B illustrates that the player has made a wager of ten credits
226 as shown in the primary game bet display 224. The total bet 234
at this point is ten as shown in the total bet display 232 because
the player has not made a wager on the secondary game. The number
of credits 222 has been reduced to ninety as shown in the credits
display 220. The gaming device displays a message to the player in
the message display 236 that the player may place a wager on the
secondary game.
FIG. 7C illustrates that the player has made a secondary game wager
230 of one credit as indicated in the secondary game wager display
228. The number of credits 222 has been reduced to eighty-nine as
indicated in the credits display 220. The total bet 234 is now
eleven as indicated in the total bet display 232.
FIG. 7D illustrates that the player and the dealer have been dealt
hands or initial cards. In this first example play of the primary
game, the player hand 204 is dealt with both cards face up and
includes a jack of hearts and a five of spades. The player's hand
value 210 is fifteen as indicated in the hand value display 208.
The dealer's hand 202 also has two cards including one of the cards
dealt face down. The value of the dealer's up-card is displayed in
the message display 236. Note that in this case, the dealer's
up-card was the king of diamonds, which would normally require an
immediate resolution as to whether or not the dealer has blackjack,
as described above. However, in this particular example for
illustrative purposes, the player is allowed to hit. The player's
hand does not offer an opportunity to double or split and thus the
double button 216 and the split button 218 remain inactive. The
stand button 212 and the hit button 214 are activated as indicated
by the highlighted buttons and in the instructions to the player in
the message display 236. In this example, FIG. 7D illustrates that
the player has elected to take a hit by selecting the hit button
214.
FIG. 7E illustrates that the player's hit card was a four of
diamonds, bringing the player's total hand value 210 to nineteen as
shown in the hand value display 208. The gaming device continues to
provide the player the option of hitting again, as indicated by the
still active hit button 214, since the player's hand value 210 is
still less than twenty-one. This is indicated in the message
display 236. In this example, the player chooses to stand by
selecting the stand button 212. FIG. 7E also illustrates that the
dealer's down card is revealed. The dealer's down card is an ace of
hearts in this example which gives the dealer blackjack, as
indicated by the dealer's hand 202 and in the message display 236.
The player loses the primary game wager, but since the dealer won
with a blackjack and the player made a secondary game wager 228,
the gaming device provides the player with a secondary game card
242a. In this illustrated embodiment, the predetermined criteria or
predetermined condition for obtaining a card in the secondary game
is the dealer obtaining blackjack. It should be appreciated that
the triggering condition can be any suitable triggering condition
as discussed above and as further discussed below.
Upon occurrence of the triggering event, the processor of the
gaming device selects the card to be used in the secondary game. In
this illustrated example, the processor of the gaming device
selects one of the cards from the player's primary game hand to be
used in the secondary game. It should be appreciated that other
methods could be used to select the cards for the secondary game as
further above and discussed below.
FIG. 7F illustrates that the secondary game card 242a is a four of
clubs. The number of secondary game cards 238 is one as indicated
in the number of secondary game cards display 240. The negative
player experience of losing the primary game to the dealer,
especially when the dealer gets a blackjack, is at least partially
offset by the positive occurrence of receiving a secondary game
card. This card may bring the player closer to achieving a possible
winning outcome in the secondary game.
FIG. 8A illustrates the beginning of another round or play of the
primary game. The four of clubs obtained in the previous play of
the primary game for the play of the secondary game is displayed in
the secondary hand display. In this example second play of the
primary game, the player has made a larger wager of twenty as shown
in the primary game bet display 224. The gaming device displays the
sixty-nine credits 222 in the credit display 220. The total bet 234
is twenty shown in the total bet display 232 because the player has
not yet made a secondary game wager. The gaming device displays a
message to the player in the message display 236 that the player
now has the option of placing a secondary game wager.
FIG. 8B illustrates that the player has made a secondary game wager
230 of one as indicated in the secondary game wager display 228.
The number of remaining credits 222 is reduced to sixty-eight as
indicated in the credits display 220. The total bet 234 is
increased to twenty-one as indicated in the total bet display
232.
FIG. 8C illustrate the dealt player's hand and the dealt dealer's
hand for the primary game. The player's hand 204 dealt with both
cards face up in this example is a blackjack including an ace of
diamonds and a jack of clubs. The player's hand value 210 is
twenty-one as indicated in the hand value display 208. The value of
the dealer's face up-card in this example is an ace which is
displayed in the message display 236. The player's hand does not
offer an opportunity to double or split and the double button 216
and the split button 218 remain inactive (not shown). The stand
button 212 and the hit button 214 are inactive because the player
can not hit on blackjack. As indicated in the instructions to the
player in the message display 236, the gaming device will offer the
player a 1:1 payoff if the player accepts this award prior to
revealing the dealer's second card. This is somewhat like an
insurance bet in that the player, by accepting even money is
assuming that the dealer has blackjack and the result would have
been a push. In this example, the player does not elect to take
even money.
FIG. 8D illustrates the revealed dealer's down card which is a
queen of diamonds, which also gives the dealer blackjack as
indicated by the dealer's hand 202 and in the message display 236.
In this example, the player pushes the primary game wager, but
since the dealer won with a blackjack and the player made the
secondary game wager 228, the gaming device provides the player
with a second secondary game card 242b. In this example, the
secondary game card 242b is a jack of clubs. The number of
secondary game cards 238 is increased to two as indicated in the
number of secondary game cards display 240. Once again, the
player's loss to a dealer's blackjack is somewhat diminished by the
player receiving a secondary game card. This is especially so with
this second secondary game card 242b because the player received
another club and now has two cards to a flush.
FIG. 9A illustrates a later state where the player has played
several rounds or play of the primary game and has obtained four
secondary game cards 242a, 242b, 242c, and 242d as also indicated
in the number of secondary game cards display 240. At this stage,
the player is only one secondary game card away from possibly
obtaining a flush in the secondary game and to obtain an award
associated with the flush in the secondary game. In this play, the
player has made a wager of ten, as shown in the primary game bet
display 224. The total bet 234 is ten as shown in the total bet
display 232 because the player has not yet made a secondary game
wager 230. The number of remaining player credits 222 is
three-hundred eighty-nine as shown in the credits display 220. The
gaming device displays a message 237 to the player in the message
display 236 that the player may now place an optional secondary
game wager 230.
FIG. 9B illustrates that the player has made a secondary game wager
230 of one as indicated in the secondary game wager display 228.
The number of credits 222 has been reduced to three-hundred
eighty-eight as indicated in the credits display 220. The total bet
234 is now eleven as indicated in the total bet display 232.
FIG. 9C illustrates the player's hand and the dealer's hand for the
primary game. The player's hand 204 is dealt with both cards face
up and includes a jack of hearts and an eight of clubs. The
player's hand value 210 is eighteen as indicated in the hand value
display 208. The value of the dealer's face up-card is displayed in
the message display 236. The player's hand does not offer an
opportunity to double or split and the double button 216 and the
split button 218 remain inactive. The stand button 212 and the hit
button 214 are activated as indicated by the highlighted borders
and in the instructions 237 to the player in the message display
236. In this example, the player has a very good hand of eighteen
and has elected to stand by selecting the stand button 212.
FIG. 9D illustrates the revealed dealer's down card down card to be
an ace of spades, which gives the dealer blackjack as indicated by
the dealer's hand 202 and in the message display 236. The player
loses the primary game wager, but since the dealer won with a
blackjack and the player made a secondary game wager 228, the
gaming device provides the player with a secondary game card 242e.
In this case, the secondary game card 242e is the eight of clubs.
The number of secondary game cards 238 is increased to five as
indicated in the number of secondary game cards display 240. The
player has a total of five secondary game cards 238 which is a
complete secondary hand. The gaming device evaluates the player's
secondary hand after the hand is complete. The gaming device
determines that the secondary hand is a winning combination of
cards and in particular, the secondary hand is a five card club
flush. The gaming device awards the player 2,000 credits for the
flush according to the secondary game paytable and as indicated in
the message display 236. The gaming device increments the credits
by 2,000 to a total of 2,388 as indicated in the credits display.
The gaming device restarts the secondary hand and play can
continue.
FIGS. 10A, 10B, 10C, 10D and 10E illustrate an example of the play
of a secondary poker game over a sequence of rounds or plays of the
primary blackjack game, where the games are played at a live gaming
table with several players and a human dealer. This example play of
the secondary poker game results in a first player accumulating
five secondary game cards and being awarded a jackpot for a
successful combination of cards. The second player does not
accumulate additional secondary game cards because he or she does
not continue to place secondary game wagers.
Referring to FIG. 10A, the gaming table 300 has a playing surface
302 and a chip tray 304 for holding several stacks of chips. The
dealer uses the chip tray 304 to pay out players when they win and
collect chips when players have lost. The gaming table can
accommodate a plurality of players. In this example, there are five
player positions and only two players 328 and 330 seated at the
table. It should be appreciated that the gaming table could
accommodate any suitable number of playing positions and players so
as not to interfere with game play. For each of the playing
positions there is a primary wagering area 306a to 306e for
wagering on the primary game, and a secondary game wagering area
308a to 308e for wagering on the secondary game. The gaming table
also includes a display device 310a to 310e for the player position
that is used to play the secondary game. In one embodiment, the
display device displays gaming elements or cards that have been
awarded to the player from the primary game.
In one embodiment, the gaming table includes a suitable card and
wager tracking technology as described above and below. In general,
a suitable tracking system would first identify each of the
players' wagers. The tracking system also tracks the player's cards
and the dealer's cards as they are dealt. The processor stores this
information or data in memory. The gaming device provides a
secondary game card if a secondary wager is placed and a triggering
condition occurs in a play of the primary game. In one embodiment,
the triggering event is the dealer getting blackjack. When the
triggering event occurs in the primary game, the processor
retrieves the stored information about the player's cards and
causes the secondary game display device to display a virtual card
for use in the secondary game. Therefore, the tracking system
allows the secondary game to operate automatically and without
assistance from the dealer.
FIG. 10A illustrates that a first player 328 has placed a primary
wager 324a in the primary wagering area 306a and placed a secondary
wager 326a in the secondary game wagering area 308c. A second
player 330 has placed a primary wager 324b in the primary wagering
area 306d and a secondary wager 326b in a secondary game wagering
area 308d. At this point, neither the first player 328 or the
second player 330 has achieved any secondary game cards as
indicated by the empty secondary game displays 310c and 310d. The
dealer deals two cards to the first player 328, the first card 316
is an ace of clubs and the second card 318 is the three of spades.
The dealer deals two cards to the second player 330, the first card
320 is an ace of spades and the second card 322 is the king of
diamonds. The dealer deals two cards to him or herself, and reveals
the dealer's first card 312 which is an ace of diamonds. The
dealer's second card 314 is unrevealed at this time. The second
player has achieved blackjack, and in one embodiment may be offered
the chance to take even money (i.e., even money being similar to an
insurance bet in that the player is paid one to one on the wager).
Because the dealer's first card 312 is an ace, the first player may
place an optional insurance bet. In this example, the first player
has chosen not to place an insurance bet. A determination is made
immediately whether or not the dealer has blackjack, because the
dealer's first card is an ace.
FIG. 10B illustrates that the dealer reveals the dealer's second
card 314 which is a jack of spades. The dealer has achieved a hand
of blackjack. The first player has lost the primary hand and the
second player has pushed with the dealer. In this embodiment,
because both players have placed a secondary game wager and the
triggering condition has occurred (i.e., the dealer has received
blackjack), the processor provides both players with a secondary
game card. As shown by the dashed line connecting the first
player's first card 316 and the first player's display device 310c
a visual representation of the first player's first card appears in
the display device 310c. The information related to the first
player's first card is identified by a suitable scanning/tracking
technology and the processor causes the secondary game display
device 310c to display a virtual representation of the first
player's first card. Similarly, the information related to the
second player's first card 320 has been identified by the tracking
technology and the processor causes the secondary game display
device 310d to display the player's first card, as indicated by the
dashed line. The processor causes a message to be displayed in both
display devices 310c and 310d that the player has received their
first secondary game card. The first round of the primary game ends
and the secondary game for both players is initiated.
FIG. 10C illustrates that the first player 328 has placed another
primary wager 324a in the primary wagering area 306a and a
secondary wager 326a in the secondary game wagering area 308c. The
second player 330 has also placed a primary wager 324b in the
primary wagering area 306d. However, for this particular round of
the primary game, the second player has chosen not to place a
secondary wager. In this embodiment, a player is not required to
place consecutive wagers on the secondary game in order to retain
their accumulated secondary game cards, as seen in the second
player's secondary game display 310d. The dealer deals two cards to
the first player 328, the first card 316 is an ace of heart and the
second card 318 is the queen of hearts. The dealer deals two cards
to the second player 330, the first card 320 is an queen of clubs
and the second card 322 is the king of clubs. In this round of the
primary game, the first player has achieved blackjack. The dealer
deals him or herself two cards. The dealers reveals the dealer's
first card 312, which is the ten of diamonds. In this embodiment,
the first player is not offered the chance to take even money
because the dealer's first card 312 is not an ace (despite the fact
that the dealer may have blackjack). The first player is not paid
at this point because the dealer also has the possibility of
obtaining a blackjack. Accordingly, an immediate determination is
made as to whether or not the dealer has blackjack, because the
dealer's first card 312 is a ten.
FIG. 10D illustrates that the dealer reveals the dealer's second
card 314, which is a ace of spades. The dealer has achieved a hand
of blackjack. The first player has pushed on the primary hand and
the second player has lost. In this embodiment, the players would
be eligible to receive a secondary game card because the triggering
condition has occurred (i.e., the dealer has received blackjack).
However, the second player did not place a secondary wager and does
not receive a secondary game card as indicated in the second
player's secondary game display 310d. However, the first player has
placed a secondary game wager. As shown by the dashed line
connecting the first player's first card 316 and the first player's
display device 310c the processor causes a visual representation of
the first player's first card to appear in the secondary game
display device 310c. The processor causes the secondary game
display device 310c to display a message that the player has
received their second secondary game card. This ends the second
round of the primary game.
FIG. 10E illustrates a later round of the primary game where the
first player 328 completes the secondary game. Several rounds of
the primary game have taken place during the period of time between
FIG. 10D and FIG. 10E as indicated by the additional secondary game
cards in the first player's secondary game display 310c. Also, the
second player has not accumulated any additional secondary game
cards, as indicated by the second player's secondary game display
310d. In this round of the primary game, the first player 328 has
placed another primary wager 324a in the primary wagering area 306a
and a secondary wager 326a in the secondary game wagering area
308c. The second player 330 has also placed a primary wager 324b in
the primary wagering area 306d. The second player did not place a
secondary wager. The dealer deals two cards to the first player
328, the first card 316 is the jack of hearts and the second card
318 is the three of spades. The dealer deals two cards to the
second player 330, the first card 320 is the seven of spades and
the second card 322 is the five of diamonds. The dealer has
achieved blackjack and both of the players have lost the primary
game. However, since the first player placed a secondary wager and
the triggering condition has occurred (i.e., the dealer was dealt
blackjack) the processor provides a secondary gaming card to the
first player. This is the first player's fifth secondary game card
and completes the secondary game. The dealer provides the first
player with a secondary award for achieving a high ranking poker
hand. In particular, the player's poker hand was a full house with
three aces and two jacks. After the secondary game award has been
provided, the processor restarts the first player's secondary
game.
Alternative Primary and Secondary Games
In certain of the embodiments described below, the primary game is
a traditional blackjack or 21 game. However, it should be
appreciated that the primary game may be of any suitable type such
that the fulfillment of certain conditions in the primary game
causes the gaming device to provide the player with an element to
be used in the secondary game, where the element is retained and
other elements may be accumulated over the course of several plays
of the primary game. As indicated above, the primary game may
alternatively be poker (including any of the numerous poker games),
pai gow, roulette, baccarat, craps, variations thereof or any other
suitable video. The present invention may also in any suitable
mechanical based game.
In one embodiment, the gaming device begins the secondary game upon
the first secondary game wager placed by a player. In this
embodiment, the secondary game can continue until the player
discontinues wagering on the primary game. In this embodiment, the
gaming device includes a program code which causes the processor to
automatically begin or initiate a secondary game simultaneous with
the play of the primary game.
It should be appreciated that the secondary game elements may be
chosen in a variety of ways. In one embodiment, the secondary game
elements or cards may be selected from the elements or cards in the
primary game. In one embodiment, where the primary game is
blackjack, the secondary game cards may be randomly selected from a
conventional deck of 52 playing cards, selected from the dealer's
hand, or selected from a player's hand. In one embodiment, a player
can select the secondary cards from either the dealer's hand or
that player's hand. In another embodiment, the secondary game card
would be the dealer's original up-card. In other embodiments, the
secondary game card may be the highest value card, the lowest value
card, the first card dealt, the second card dealt or the last card
dealt in the player's or dealer's hand.
In one embodiment, the secondary game card is automatically
selected by a suitable auto-hold computer program. In this
embodiment, a card is automatically selected from the player's hand
or the dealer's hand that will maximize the potential value of the
secondary game outcome. In one example where the secondary game is
a five-card poker game with cards as secondary game elements and
where the player has already accumulated a pair of fives, the most
valuable card to the player would be another five so as to form
three-of-a-kind. Therefore, if the player's blackjack hand includes
a two, a ten and a five, the gaming device would automatically
select the five to be the next secondary game element.
In another embodiment, the secondary game card may be chosen from a
separate pre-shuffled deck of actual or virtual cards shared by a
plurality of players. In this embodiment, the secondary cards
available to one player, would be limited by the secondary cards
that the other players have already accumulated. In other words,
they have already been taken out of the deck. Also, a player's
secondary cards could be returned to the deck after a player has
achieved a designated number or has forfeited their cards by
leaving the table and cashing out. In another embodiment, each
player secondary game card hand may be dealt from a separate actual
or virtual deck of cards for that player's secondary game card. In
one embodiment, the gaming device may include programming logic to
prevent the player from receiving two secondary game cards that are
of the same suit and rank. In one example, each player would have a
separate deck of cards to prevent the occurrence of duplicate
cards. In another example where multiple decks of cards are used,
if a duplicate card is selected then the gaming device would
require that a different card be selected for or by the player.
In another embodiment, the secondary game cards could be partially
randomly generated by the gaming device and partially selected by a
player. For example, the gaming device may randomly determine the
first three secondary game cards, and the player may choose the
final two. In this embodiment, the player is somewhat limited in
their ability to make a secondary game poker hand.
In one embodiment, each of the players may have one or more
opportunities to decline to accept a secondary bonus card. For
example, a player may have already accumulated a king of hearts, a
king of diamonds, a two of hearts, and a two of clubs. In this
example the player has two pair and the possibility of achieving a
full house with the fifth card. The player may want to decline a
secondary game card when the triggering condition occurs in the
primary game and any secondary game cards to not help the player's
poker hand in the secondary game.
In one embodiment, the secondary game is a five card poker game as
described above where the results are based on the five cards in
the secondary game drawn or obtained from the plays of the primary
game (where a player made a secondary wager and the triggering
condition occurred). In another embodiment, the five card poker
game is a five card draw poker game where the player has one or
more opportunities to hold and/or draw to the five cards (where the
player made a secondary wager and the triggering condition
occurred). In one embodiment, where the secondary game is a draw
poker type game, the gaming device enables the player to replace
one or more secondary game cards over the course of the or at the
end of secondary round. In this embodiment, the player may have
been awarded three cards of a first suit and one card of a second
suit. The player may choose to replace or not hold the card with
the second suit and in doing so increase the probability of
obtaining a winning secondary hand. In one embodiment, the gaming
device includes programming logic as described above, to prevent
replacement cards from duplicating cards already in the player's
poker hand. For example, all the cards may be drawn from a single
actual or virtual deck of cards.
It should thus be appreciated that the gaming device may provide
any suitable further game play in the secondary game after a
designated number of secondary game elements have been obtained
based on multiple plays of the primary game. For example, after a
player receives five secondary game cards, the five cards of the
secondary game may be combined with the two up-cards of the
player's next blackjack hand in the primary game. In this
embodiment, a simplified game of Texas Hold-em could be played,
where the player chooses the best five card poker hand from a total
of seven cards. It should also be appreciated that the secondary
game may include a bonus game triggered by an occurrence of a
triggering event in the secondary game. The secondary game could
also include suitable bonus features such as wild cards and extra
cards.
In one embodiment, awards in the secondary game may be based on a
paytable. This paytable may be based in part on the minimum,
average and maximum secondary game wagers and/or the minimum,
average and maximum primary game wagers. In another embodiment, if
a player obtains a winning combination of secondary game elements
in the secondary game, the gaming device provides the player with
or an opportunity to achieve a progressive award such as a wide
area progressive jackpot as described above. In another embodiment,
a winning secondary game outcome may enable player to place a
number of free activations of a game.
In another embodiment, a player is not required to achieve a
complete secondary game hand in order to receive a number of free
activations of a game. For example, each of the provided secondary
game cards or gaming elements represents an opportunity for the
player to achieve the wide area progressive jackpot. In one
embodiment, each provided gaming element corresponds to a number of
free activations of a progressive slot game. In one embodiment,
when the free activations are executed, a game server may play the
designated number of free activations and stream the results to the
gaming device to be displayed to the player. In another embodiment,
data or other information regarding the progressive slot game is
downloaded to the gaming device and the free activation of the
progressive slot game are played real time from the gaming
device.
It should be appreciated that the secondary game can be any
suitable game as described above and the primary game may be the
same game as the secondary game.
In one embodiment, as discussed above the gaming table may include
suitable scanning or reading technologies that are capable of
identifying the values of the dealer's and player's cards. The
scanning technologies, as discussed above, may be optical, based on
radio frequency identification or another suitable method as
discussed above. In one embodiment, the card recognition system
includes a computer tracking program. For example, in a Blackjack
table game where an optical reader is included in a card shoe, a
computer tracking program would be able to determine the number of
cards dealt and at least partially determine what cards have been
dealt to the different players at the table.
Alternative Wagering
In the above described embodiments, the primary game wager is
placed at the beginning of the primary game, prior to any cards
having been dealt to each player or the dealer and the secondary
game wager is placed at the same time that each player places the
primary game wager. However, the present invention contemplates a
plurality of different wagering variations.
In one embodiment, there may be a qualifying condition of an amount
wagered on the primary game in order to be eligible to place a
secondary wager on the secondary game. In another embodiment, the
qualifying condition is whether a player has played a number of
rounds of the primary game. In one embodiment, the gaming device
may not require a separate additional wager for the secondary game.
Rather, a player must earn entry to the secondary game through play
of the primary game, thereby encouraging play of the primary game.
In another embodiment, the qualifying condition may be based on a
random event independent of the play of the primary game.
In one embodiment, the condition for placing a secondary wager
includes matching cards in the primary game to predetermined cards.
Prior to a play of the primary game, the gaming device determines
one or more cards and displays them on a display device. In this
embodiment, the gaming device enables a player to place a secondary
wager on the secondary game only if one or both of the player's
originally dealt cards from the primary game match one or both of
the predetermined cards. Therefore, in this embodiment, the player
has no direct control over whether or not he or she will be able to
place a secondary wager. In another embodiment, any of the players
cards in the primary game may be used to match the predetermined
cards displayed by the display device.
It should be appreciated that any suitable method or multiple
methods may be employed to determine when and if a player may place
a secondary wager.
Alternative Triggering Conditions
The present invention contemplates a variety of different ways to
determine whether or not to provide a secondary game card or
element to a player. In other words, there may be several different
conditions of the base game that determine whether a player is to
be provided with a secondary game card or element. In the
embodiment described above, the criteria or the triggering
condition is when a secondary wager has been placed and the dealer
receives a blackjack in the primary game.
In general, receiving a secondary game card or element tends to
increase the level of player excitement. Therefore, in alternative
embodiments, the gaming device may provide a player a secondary
game card or element in order to compensate the player for a
frustrating or negative result in a play of the primary game. In
one embodiment, the player will receive a secondary game card only
if both the player and the dealer get blackjack. In this sense, the
player will be compensated for the fact that they have a
experienced a particularly frustrating push with the dealer.
In another embodiment, the gaming device provides a player a
secondary game card if the player doubles down with a primary game
hand value of nine or ten, and doubles to a hand of twelve or less
(generally, house rules allow the player only one additional card
when doubling-down). In another embodiment, the gaming device
provide the player a secondary game element or card when the player
doubled-down to a total of twelve or less and subsequently lost the
hand to the dealer (i.e., the player would not be awarded a
secondary game card if the dealer subsequently busts). In these
embodiments, the secondary game card compensates the player in that
a potentially very good hand turned into a bad hand.
In another embodiment, the gaming device may provide a player a
secondary game card if the total value of the player's first two
cards is twelve, and the player hits and receives a card with a
value of ten. In this embodiment, the player is compensated with a
secondary game card for having experienced a particularly
frustrating bust. Therefore, when the player receives a secondary
game card in response to a particularly frustrating hand, the level
of excitement is maintained because the player is closer to
achieving a complete bonus hand and potentially winning a large
bonus award.
In one embodiment, the triggering condition for receiving a
secondary game card or element is when a pair of aces have been
split and both hands receive a ten value card. In this respect a
player is rewarded for achieving two blackjack hands with respect
to the base game (house rules may prohibit paying 3:2 on a
blackjack after the player has split aces). In another embodiment,
the triggering condition for receiving a secondary game card is
when a designated number of cards have been dealt to increasing or
decreasing value or rank in the primary game.
In other embodiments, the gaming device may provide a player a
secondary game card or element to augment a particularly good or
winning result in the primary game. In one embodiment, the
triggering condition for a secondary game card is if a secondary
wager has been placed and the player gets a total hand value of
twenty-one in the primary game by having five or more cards (such
as Five Card Charlie). For example, the initial hand may be a four
and a three, and the player hits three times and receives a six, a
three, and a five. In this embodiment, providing a secondary game
card is a reward for achieving the highest possible hand in a
somewhat unique way. With the prospect of obtaining an additional
secondary game card in this manner, a player may be encouraged to
take hits on his or her hand that are not the most strategic for
winning the primary game. In that respect, the gaming establishment
will tend to win a higher percentage of hands in the primary game.
It should be appreciated that the number of cards that the player
may have to draw can be any number to make it sufficiently
difficult for the player to achieve.
In another embodiment where the base game is played with a
plurality of players at a community gaming table, the triggering
condition for receiving a secondary game card is when at least a
minimum number of players at a gaming table or console
simultaneously receive a designated hand such as blackjack. For
example, if at least three players at a table receive a designated
hand such as blackjack at the same time, all of the players are
awarded a secondary game card or element. This would add to the
overall level of excitement of the game and also increase the
camaraderie between players as they would be motivated for other
players to also achieve blackjack. Since occurrences of this nature
may happen less often, the gaming machine may provide each of the
players more than one secondary game cards or elements.
In other embodiments, a player may receive a secondary game card
for some unique combination or sequence of cards that the player,
or the dealer, or both the player and the dealer received in a play
of the primary game. In one embodiment, a secondary game card is
awarded if there is a winning poker hand that can be selected from
the combination of the dealer's and the player's cards. For
example, if the player's is dealt a total of four cards, and they
all are diamonds, and one of the dealer's cards was also a diamond,
this would correspond to a flush in poker. In another embodiment,
the winning poker hand must be selected from only the player's
hand.
In an alternative embodiment, a random or predetermined sequence of
cards may be generated by a processor and displayed by an
additional display device. In this embodiment, a secondary game
card is awarded if the cards in a player's hand match the cards on
the display. The prospect of achieving this unique hand may
motivate the player to take a hit when conventional blackjack
strategy would dictate otherwise. In another embodiment, a
secondary game card is provided if the card's in the player's hand
match the cards in the dealer's hand.
In one embodiment, a secondary game card is randomly awarded to a
player, if the player places an optional secondary game wager. In
this embodiment, there is no triggering condition for receiving a
secondary game card other than the random selection. In one
embodiment, where the optional secondary game wager is generally
required in order to be eligible to receive a secondary game card,
the gaming device may additionally randomly award a secondary game
card to a player that has not placed the optional wager. In this
embodiment, even a player choosing not to wager on the secondary
game has a chance to participate and accumulate secondary game
cards thereby increasing overall player enjoyment and
camaraderie.
In one embodiment where a player is randomly awarded a secondary
bonus card, the likelihood or percentage chance of getting a card
is based on the cumulative amounts wagered by the player in either
the primary game or the secondary game. Therefore, in this
embodiment, frequent players are rewarded by being more likely, on
average, to receive a secondary game card.
In certain embodiments, the award of a secondary game card is
based, at least in part, on the amount of game play. In one
embodiment, a player will automatically receive a secondary game
card after participating in a predetermined or randomly determined
number of plays of the primary game. In another embodiment, after
the player has achieved a qualifying level of play in the primary
game and if a triggering condition occurs, the player is awarded a
opportunity to receive a secondary game card. In an example of this
embodiment, the gaming device includes an indicator to inform a
player that they are eligible to receive a secondary game card. In
another embodiment, a secondary game card is awarded if the player
has participated in the secondary game a number of times without
achieving a secondary game card, where the number is one, five, ten
or any suitable number. In these embodiments, frequent players are
rewarded with one or more secondary game cards or an opportunity to
collect one or more secondary game cards.
It should thus be appreciated that the present invention
contemplates employing one or more of the triggering conditions
described above or one or more other suitable triggering
conditions.
Alternative Terminating Conditions
It should be appreciated that the secondary game may be terminated
in a variety of ways. In the above described embodiments, the
secondary game is naturally terminated or reset when a player
achieves the designated number of secondary game elements and is
provided with an award. In certain of the embodiments described
above, if the player discontinues play of the primary game, all of
the accumulated secondary game cards or elements are forfeited or
given up. In another embodiment, accumulated secondary game
elements may be stored on a central server and further associated
with a player identification card. Therefore, the player may leave
the table or even the gaming establishment and still retain any
accumulated secondary game elements.
It should be appreciated that the gaming device may save or enable
a player to save the accumulated secondary game elements or cards
under certain circumstances. It is only natural that players may
need to leave the table for a variety of reasons, such as to eat,
to withdraw money from an Automated Teller Machine (ATM), to use
the restroom, to order a drink, or to make a phone call. In some
cases, it may take a while to build up a sufficient number of
secondary game elements to form a secondary game hand, and it would
be frustrating if the player was required to forfeit the elements
if they had to temporarily leave the gaming table. However, a
gaming establishment would normally not want to leave a gaming
space unoccupied for a significant period of time.
In one embodiment, the secondary game may maintain its status after
the play of the primary game is stopped and after the player has
cashed out any remaining credits. In this embodiment, the secondary
game may maintain the same status for a given period of time until
another player initiates the primary game. Consequently, a new
player may obtain the benefits of a player who has previously
played the primary game, but did not accumulate enough secondary
game cards to be evaluated in the secondary game.
It should be understood that various changes and modifications to
the present embodiments described herein will be apparent to those
skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications can be made
without departing from the spirit and scope of the present
invention and without diminishing its intended advantages. It is
therefore intended that such changes and modifications be covered
by the appended claims.
* * * * *